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Rome - Archbishop Georg Ganswein, Pope Benedict XVI's
private secretary, who has been dubbed "Gorgeous George" by the
Italian media, is now a real-life cover boy.

The prelate has landed on the cover of Vanity Fair.

The cover on the Italian edition of the magazine shows
the 56-year-old archbishop smiling, his blue eyes beaming, above a headline
that reads "Father Georg - It's not a sin to be beautiful."

The magazine calls Ganswein "The George Clooney of
St Peter's" and says it dedicated a cover story to honour his recent promotion
to the rank of archbishop and as recognition of his growing power in the Roman
Catholic Church.

A spokesperson for the magazine said Ganswein was not
interviewed for the article and did not pose for the cover photo, which she
said was a close-up of an existing picture.

Ganswein, who has been Benedict's personal secretary
since the former Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was elected Roman Catholic leader in
2005, was elevated to the rank of archbishop earlier this month.

A German like the pope, he was also promoted to the job
of Prefect of the Pontifical Household, a position that will significantly
increase his power as the pope gets older and frailer.

As prefect, Ganswein - already one of the most
recognisable and powerful figures in the papal court - will arrange all the
pope's private and public audiences and his daily schedule.

And, because he will be keeping his job as chief private
secretary, he will have even more power in deciding who has access to the
85-year-old pope.

Vanity Fair said the article about Ganswein was a
"close up profile of a particular monsignor".

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